Chips—–I’m looking for, and it’s driving me nuts, the group photo of President Obama standing with all the leaders in front of all the flags. I’m not sure if it was posted here, but I can’t find it—-but I have seen it flashed on the news. I have a son in law who looks almost exactly like the king of the Netherlands, minus a few pounds, but it is like they are twins. His kids, my grandkids, got a big kick out of it when I sent one of the first vids from yesterday proclaiming that their dad is King Of The Netherlands! If you have it handy, would mucho appreciate if you could include it so I can show my fam further proof that Jeff is leading a double life and is palling around with President Obama and is a world leader!

I was thinking of one I’ve seen with the whole huge line up of all of them, President Obama and the Netherlands king in the middle. But thanks, don’t want to waste any more of your time. Danny probably wants to go walking.

Wow! a color coordinated classroom with matching uniforms. When I think of the sorry state of some of our US schools and classrooms, it makes me want to cry. Hope these young people are also learning to think for themselves.

I always love the look of focus on FLOTUs’ face when she is being shown how to do something. Or even when folks are sharing thoughts with her, come to think of it! Both senior Obamas do ‘in the moment’ in an exemplary manner.

We see you, FLOTUS (THANKS to the unending endeavours of Chips O’Cheesy and the TOD gang), and we are so filled with pride!!!! :):):)

Morning everyone. Love how our FLOTUS just jumps fearlessly into anything. She isn’t self-conscious or afraid of what other people will think. She focuses on the moment and on actually paying attention to and honoring the people around her by working with them. I “know” there has never been a First Lady so comfortable in her self. I wish I had a fraction of this confidence, but I’m thrilled she’s such a great role model for young women around the world.

Africa, we are well and truly blessed by living in the time of the Obama White House. Some years ago during the Bush administration the young husband of a dear friend died. One of the last things he said to his wife and son was “I hate to leave you with this man as president.”
I often think of that young husband and wish he could have lived to see his family today with this great president in charge. Hope he’s smiling now in heaven.

I totally agree with this thought. The moment I saw Obama speak at a Democratic fundraiser when he was still a Senator, I felt in my bones that his destiny was to be President. After his speech, all the women in the bathroom line echoed the same thought “He can’t wait. He must run for President now.” It must be an old tribal feeling – we know when we have met our leader. Years ago I met the English nanny to King Hussein of Jordan’s children. She said something I think is applicable here – “I felt honored to have tread the same ground he trod.” Can’t wait to read Obama’s memoirs of his years as President. And then, after he’s worked on his Library, I’m thinking he’ll take on a global role.

Congratulations to VC, vetivera, and africa finishing one, two and three and an honorable mention to swbluega on this chilly (in the Northeast) AM.

Good morning one and all. Many thanks for the ArethaFest last night. Goosey pimples all over the place!

Wishing healing and happiness to everyone.

Immense gratitude for our wonder PBO and family and to Ms.Chips, DannyO, NW, HZ, Bobfr, CarolMae, Cindy, Dudette, Yardarm, JC, Lovelyplaines, PF, JOB, africa, anniebella, and so many more who have made this a place of refuge for Obots like ME!

I just knew you would talk about ‘evening’. I’ll have you know that’s the very reason I checked ‘the Google’ FIRST. At the time it wasn’t 6pm yet – it was in fact 5:43pm so by my calculation my greeting was perfectly perfect! I feel so proud of my research skills. :)

Good morning Obots!!
Made the mistake of turning the Tv on to find Morning Joke talking about a Politico hit piece on Valerie Jarrett and FLOTUS.
There is a lot of resentment in the West Wing because Valerie has so much access to the President. Wah,wah,wah.
And apparently FLOTUS is a demanding bitch who likes to control everything. I’m paraphrasing of course.
Next up, Rick Perry. Ugh… TV off.
Have a great day everyone.

These kinds of attacks are what these people resort to when there is nothing real. This comes from their imagination, because they have searched so long and strong for some real scandal. There aren’t any. Sad thing is, some will believe this, but remember how small their audience really is. Politico is basically pathetic. Flight MH370 has been found, so they are desperate for cannon fodder, and Joke was totally wrong about that too.

THIS is precisely why I am not big on satire in the age of Obama. It might make us feel better to flood twitter, or wherever, with satirical responses, but IMO we only reinforce, and magnify, whatever negative point is being made – often over and over and over and over – and MANY WILL BELIEVE. Especially if they encounter the idea repeatedly, AND especially if their leaders can find the idea espoused by a known ‘liberal’. I happen to think that if we believe that a huge majority of regular voting Repubs are stupid like sheep, why help their shepherds to feed them by reinforcing the garbage ideas? This is the main reason I dislike our side (grassroots or otherwise) doing negative framing. In fact, it bugs me bigtime. ……. Oops! Just noticed I was on my soapbox. Better get down and go eat breakfast AND get myself ready for meeting #1, which is at 10am.

The more petty, trivial, and juvenile the attack, the more jealous and resentful the attacker.

Same for those who are always critical of this President’s decisions and policies. It’s easy to throw rocks when you feel that you are safe from retaliation and accountability. Also, it is noted that those who are so concerned about the “direction this President is taking this country” have no *REAL* intelligent, rational, sensible alternatives (because there is NONE); just a lot of rhetoric and bullet points that say nothing.

GOPolitico and Morning Joke, for me nothing else need to be said because we know how they are, what they are all about. Yes some will believe what is said and most of them can’t stand FLOTUS, Valerie, or POTUS, and some won’t. believe it, and some won’t pay Politico and Morning Joke any dam attention.

This one’s for Dudette who’s probably still asleep after her early morning TOD foray. The rest of you will like it too, I’m sure. Why am I sure? Because even with my tin ear, I listened and watched it all the way to the end.

Astonishing! How is it even possible for so young a child to have the focus, the dexterity and the willingness to listen, follow instructions and maintain the stamina required to complete a task of this magnitude! There is no explanation in science for this kind of human phenomena, is there? Thank you, VC, thank you.

Before we attack Belgium (where most of us will never live or visit) about a distasteful joke in their Newspaper comedy supplement, we need to first check the daily racism that occurs in our own back yards – coming from high profile former/current government officials.

Rumsfeld was, is and always will be a despicable, sorry excuse for a human being. This is the guy who thought it was just fine that our military had sub par equipment, polluted water and contaminated food during the Iraq war. He thought is was just dandy that military families had to pay for bullet proof vests for their loved ones. This criticism of the Commander in Chief borders very close to an act of treason, since he is actively trying to undermine our current government with another country while our troops are still on the ground. He is not only a racist, he is a saboteur and should be treated as such.

Rumsfeld brought a list called “Rumsfeld’s Rules” with him to the Defense Department. Was supposed to be “wise” things he picked up during his government career(s) … in other words, a short list. After it was posted to the DOD website, he started getting asked why he was breaking some of his own rules, so he quickly had it removed.

He forgot the first – and final – rule that should have applied, in his case: STFU, STFU.

Horrible creature. Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes straight to the bone.

Disgusting words from Rumsfeld. As for the substance… it’s possible the Bush administration had less problems with Karzai, but that could be because they let Karzai do what he wanted re drugs, corruption, etc. Barack Obama doesn’t have any patience with crooks and won’t be an accomplice to shenanigans. No wonder Karzai isn’t happy.

When I talk to elderly people who say things like they never thought in their life time they would see a black man elected President of the United States. Well people like Rumsfeld, Limbaugh, the Koch Brothers, and all that vicious hatred we hear from the right wing feel the same. Because they think a black man is not good enough. Rumsfeld ought to be somewhere in a dam fox hole in shame to show his face because of the horrible job he did in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I won’t call Rumsfeld a monkey because I don’t degrade monkeys.

Yet as hard as they trained GW Bush…..all they left Us with in 8 yrs…….Total Disaster.
Almost bankrupted US and the world and left a Globe with crisis after another. Rumsfeld was COS for either Nixon or Reagan and later during GW Bush SoD and he was booted out by GW Bush, Rumsfeld’s trained idiot.

Yes, that imbalance needs to change, and SOON. However if it means having women who are simply going to toe the line of male partriachy and allowed their strings to be pulled by questionable men (e.g., Sarah Palin, HRC), with no independent thought, then we might as well have men.

Remy has been found guilty just twice, and both times his lawyer persuaded a judge to let him walk with a suspended sentence, defying the wishes of prosecutors.
Often he benefited from victims who did not want to testify, whether from fear or forgiveness, leading prosecutors to drop the case. But even when cases seemed airtight, judges often rewarded Remy with a nearly free pass — temporary probation without the stain of a guilty finding. Most offenders are lucky to get two such reprieves. He got six.

And on more than 10 occasions while already serving probation or waiting for an earlier case to be resolved, Remy was arrested again on new charges or otherwise ran afoul of the law — a pattern of incorrigibility that would ordinarily get a person locked up.

But he continued to walk, with judges extending his probation or finding creative solutions to help him avoid jail, like ordering him to move home with his parents and observe a curfew — a measure common in juvenile courts, but rarely employed for adults.

I had a friend who growing up in the 60’s in a very small community got into trouble like driving at 14, breaking into a business stealing beer, etc. He had a mother & father who disaplined him but as kids do they get into trouble. He would go before judge as a minor was turned over to parents. In this day of zero tolerance he would probably go to jail especially if he were Black. I believe in giving youth 2nd chances maybe even 3rd chance but not because their parents are rich or white. It should be afforded to all.

A bill advancing in Kansas would mandate reporting for miscarriages at any stage in pregnancy, the first step along the path to criminalizing pregnant women’s bodies. Under an amendment attached to HB 2613 — which was originally intended to update the state’s procedure for issuing birth certificates for stillborn babies — doctors would be required to report all of their patients’ miscarriages to the state health department.

I can see Knoller drooling as he send that tweet. What a journalists. Okay POTUS ate what? And what have Bo and Sunny been eating? Have Bo and Sunny been tearing up the WH, since they are home alone. Politico and Morning Joke will have that story tomorrow.